Grantee Research Project Results
2024 Progress Report: An experimental study to develop affordable non-invasive radon mitigation system For single-family dwellings
EPA Grant Number: SU840410Title: An experimental study to develop affordable non-invasive radon mitigation system For single-family dwellings
Investigators: Mansour, Osama E , Haddad, Bashar , Blevins, Cameron , Mason, Alex , Wilkinson, Chris , Payne, Daris , Hall, Peter
Institution: Western Kentucky University
EPA Project Officer: Harper, Jacquelyn
Phase: I
Project Period: July 1, 2022 through May 9, 2025
Project Period Covered by this Report: July 1, 2023 through June 30,2024
Project Amount: $24,971
RFA: 18th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2021) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Heavy Metal Contamination of Soil/Water , P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , Urban Air Toxics
Objective:
This project aims to develop affordable non-invasive radon mitigation system for single-family dwellings.
Progress Summary:
In this period (second year), the project team conducted tests on six houses during the winter months, measuring Radon levels (pCi/L), Temperature (°F), Humidity (%rH), and Pressure (kPa). The aim was to monitor radon levels in these houses throughout the cold months in Bowling Green, known for its peak natural radon gas levels.
We repeated the indoor radon tests for three of the six houses that were tested in the first year. In these three houses, we replaced the air filters with MERV 8 carbon filters monthly over the course of six months. Additionally, we introduced two new houses to the experiment. Two of them had been previously tested for the same period in the previous year. In these two houses, we replaced the air filters with MERV 8 carbon filters monthly over the six-month period. The sixth house was included to observe another intervention, testing was conducted for three months, from October to January without changing anything. In January, we installed affordable ventilation fans in the crawlspace to assess their potential use as an affordable mitigation strategy. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of these fans in the third phase of testing.
Future Activities:
Additional data and indoor radon measurements will be collected from houses in Bowling Green Kentucky. Also, additional non-invasive mitigation strategies will be introduced to the experiment.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Indoor air quality, indoor radon, mitigation, Homes. Easily, KentuckyProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.